Local celebrities to go toe-to-toe for Temple Street Children's Hospital

A VARIETY of well-known local faces will enter the ring and go toe-to-toe in Kilkenny’s first ever charity boxing night at Kyteler’s Inn this Saturday.

Mayor David Fitzgerald will be the man in the middle for at least one of the contests, while his council colleagues - Cllr Joe Malone and former mayor Cllr Malcolm Noonan will take to the ring to unleash their fists of fury.

In the Battle of the Brothers, local identical twins David and Fergus Heffernan will square off against one another, while US President Barack Obama’s Irish cousin Henry Healy, who spent St Patrick’s Day as a guest of honour in the White House, will also moonlight as a pugilist for the evening.

The event is to raise funds for a very good cause - the Temple Street Children’s Hospital. The weigh-in will take place on Saturday evening prior to the bouts, at which point each of the competitors will find out who their opponent will be for the evening.

Kilkenny Boxing Academy will also throw their hat into the ring on the night. The local club has organised three of its own fights, making for nine different events in total. There will also be spot prizes and finger food on the night.

Event organiser Richie Condron from Kyteler’s Inn said the Temple Street Hospital is a cause he has wanted to support for some time. He said the idea of a boxing charity event was perfect because it had never been done before in Kilkenny.

“It’s all in aid of a very good cause, and it will be a really fun night,” he said.

“The feedback has been brilliant, and the lads are training very hard. Local businesses have also been showing their generosity with donations and spot prizes.”

The event gets underway at 8pm in Kyteler’s Inn on Kieran Street. Tickets are available from Kyteler’s priced at €25, and while some may be available on the night, pre-purchase is recommended as they are selling fast.

Quotes & Facts

In 1922, the Butler family - namely Lord and Lady Ossory - were residents of the castle. The Irish Civil war, raged around them. Lord Ossory memorably wrote that he was woken at the "unreasonable hour of 5.30am" by his butler, who brought the news that Republican forces had seized and occupied his castle.

Irish legend describes Dunmore Cave, seven miles north of Kilkenny, as one of Ireland’s darkest places and the site where the monster Luchtigen 'The Lord of the Mice' was killed.

Kilkenny have only met neighbours Carlow once in the hurling championship. That was in 1993 when Kilkenny won 5-19 to 16 points. Kilkenny have met Lancashire more times – twice(1905, 1913) .

The last witch in Ireland, reputedly Dame Alice Kyteler, was born in Kilkenny in 1280. Widowed four times, she was accused of poisoning all of her husbands. Although her former home was burned down, you can now dine at Kyteler’s Inn on the site of the house

Kilkenny is 117 kilometres (73 mi) away the capital Dublin and 48 kilometres (30 mi) north from the nearest city Waterford. Wexford is 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the south-east and Limerick is 122 kilometres (76 mi) to the west.

"To understand Kilkenny's unique character one should retire from the busy streets to the lovely Castle Park and, standing within the shadow of the ancient pile, contemplate the great jumble of roof-tops, old and young, which tumble down to the quiet-flowing river beneath. Here dove-grey spires and battlemented towers proclaim a city old in Christian living and wise in human experience. One can feel the heartbeat of an ancient civilised community."